The present invention is concerned generally with the prevention of accidental damage to the mesh screening used in screen doors, and particularly with the prevention of accidental bulging, rending and puncturing which often occur in that region of the mesh screening which is adjacent to a handle or pull. The sort of damage which occurs in this portion of the screening is usually occasioned by accidental pressure of the human hand on the screening instead of on the handle, which occurs in all too many cases because the handle itself is too small or improperly shaped to permit a ready grasp in the humand hand. Under these conditions actual contact and pressure between the fingers of the hand and the screening over a period of time causes unsightly bulging and puncturing or tearing of the screening material. These problems are particularly severe in the case of mesh screening made of lightweight or fairly stretchable materials, however, no mesh screening can for long withstand the continuous application of pressure without yielding in some way.
Although it might seen that an approach to the solution of this problem would be simply to adopt a much stronger grade of mesh screening for use in window and door screens, both economics and aesthetics generally argue against this approach. This is particularly so because there is little reason to provide extra strength over the entire surface of the screening, since only the regions adjacent handles, pulls, etc. are subjected to heavy stress.
An alternate approach which is sometimes used is to merely extend the width of the frame surrounding the screening material, such that the human hand does not normally come into contact with the screening during operation of the door or window. Unfortunately, the extra cost and the "heavy" appearance of the widened frame have made this approach unsatisfactory. Moreover, there are already in existence a multitude of screen doors which are so designed as to have inadequate shielding of the screening materials adjacent handles, knobs and pulls. Clearly a solution which can be simply and inexpensively retrofitted to these doors and windows is needed.
In view of the impracticality as noted above of redesigning existing screen frames or of adopting a heavier and stronger grade of mesh screening, there is a need for a device which simply, unobtrusively and inexpensively reinforces just that region of the mesh screen surrounding a handle or pull.